A cold San Diego State team fell to No. 24 USC 58-43 Friday in the Wooden Legacy title game in Anaheim.
Matt Bradley, facing foul trouble, didn’t score his first basket until there was just 1:20 left to play, and the Aztecs (4-2) shot a chilly 32% from the field.
Trojan Isaiah Mobley, who was named the tournament MVP, led all scorers with 18, while Trey Pulliam had 11.
SDSU led by six at one point, 13-7. They went cold though, and aside from two free throws by Pulliam, failed to score in the final 5:29 before the break.
USC (6-0) in turn surged, offering up eight unanswered points to lead 22-15 at the half.
The run continued after the break, as the Trojans built a 32-17 lead. SDSU cut it to eight with 4:36 to play, but could get no closer.
San Diego State assistant coach Chris Acker conceded to XTRA 1360 that “there are things we gotta clean up” as the season continues.
In Friday’s opening game at the Wooden Legacy, St. Joseph’s outlasted Georgetown 77-74.
In the coming week, the Aztecs welcome Long Beach State to Viejas Arena at 7 p.m. Tuesday. They then travel to Ann Arbor to face No. 20 Michigan in a nationally televised game at 10 a.m. Saturday.
It also will be a homecoming for head coach Brian Dutcher, who served as an assistant coach to Steve Fisher at Michigan before taking on the same role when Fisher came to San Diego State in 1999.